Oarsman Mahesh Jayakody qualifies for Tokyo Paralympics
Mahesh Jayakody
Sri Lanka’s Mahesh Jayakody secured a direct entry to the Paralympic Games to be held in Japan this year after finishing first in the PRI Men’s Single Sculls at the Asia and Oceania Olympic and Paralympic rowing qualifier in Tokyo.The 6th Summer Paralympic Games is scheduled to be held between August 24 and September 5.
The final was dominated by the Sri Lankan who came to the event with a wealth of experience to lead from start to finish. He became the first para rower to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics Games during the competition. Uzbekistan’s Egamberdiev Kholmorod secured the second place and B Comnujan of Thailand finished third.
Jayakody secured a silver medal in the Asian Para Rowing Championship in 2019 and has won many other awards in a number of local tournaments for rowing.
Dr Samitha Samanmali competed in the Women’s PRI Single Sculls event and came behind the home favourite Tomomi Ichikawa of Japan. Ichikawa, the most experienced athlete having finished 14 th in the 2019 World Rowing Championship held in Ottensheim, Austria went to a podium finish without any major resistance from her competitor. Dr. Samitha Samanmali created history by being the first Sri Lankan woman to win a medal at the Asian Para Rowing Championship 2019 held in Chungju, South Korea.
Sri Lanka fielded two competitors in the Men’s and Women’s PRI Single Sculls events. Captain A.M.M.M. Alagiyawanna (coach), Captain M.B.C.H. Liyanage (Asst Coach) and Lasantha Welikala (Manager) joined the Sri Lankan contingent as officials.
With the achievement of Mahesh Jayakody, four Sri Lankans have qualified to take part in this year’s Tokyo Paralympic Games so far. The Paralympic Committee of Sri Lanka expects the number of athletes who will be qualifying for the Paralympics to go up to seven.
Paralympic bronze and World Para Championship silver medallist Dinesh Priyantha Herath (Javelin F46), Samitha Dulan (Javelin F44) and Sampath Bandara (Archery) already qualified for the event.